State forms task force to study Covid-19 deaths without co-morbidities

Researchers across the world have reported that patients with co-morbidity conditions like hypertension, diabetes, cancer or any respiratory illness are at a significantly higher risk of being critically ill once they contract the coronavirus disease.

With nearly 66% of the Covid-19 deaths from Haryana were due to co-morbidities that the patients suffered from, doctors from PGIMS, Rohtak will partner with those from AIIMS, New Delhi to set up a task force to study the cause of death in the rest.

Currently, at least 80 patients in Gurugram are under critical care. (Yogendra Kumar/HT file photo)

Researchers across the world have reported that patients with co-morbidity conditions like hypertension, diabetes, cancer or any respiratory illness are at a significantly higher risk of being critically ill once they contract the coronavirus disease. The rest, given their age and immunity, have a good chance to make a full recovery.

On Saturday, Haryana reported 10,223 cases (480 fresh cases) and 149 deaths (5 new deaths), resulting in a mortality rate of 1.45%. At 4,307 (171 new)  Gurugram has 37% of the total case load in the state, and 59 deaths.

“Two-thirds of the deaths we have seen are of patients who suffer from some form of comorbidity,” said Dr. Dhruv Chaudhary of PGIMS Rohtak, who is also the nodal officer for Covid-19 tertiary care (for critical cases) in the state. “One way to cut down deaths is to reduce the number of those moderate cases from becoming critical.”

Although they are still trying to figure out the medical reasons where patients without any co-morbidities are succumbing to the disease, Dr. Chaudhary points to two possible reasons.

“Time is wasted, after the onset of symptoms, on figuring out where to admit them after they test positive -- people run between government and private hospitals. In this process, a patient with moderate symptoms turns into a critical care patient,” said Dr. Chaudhary “Second, a patient with moderate symptom is scared of institutional quarantine and are avoiding it. Majority of the positive patients are struggling to understand the disease. We are trying to address these issues that can help in controlling the rising death numbers.”

“Our team is collecting reports prepared by Covid-19 death audit committees in different districts. What we are seeing as a critical issue is the poor continuity of medical care in some of the cases,” he added.

The reports prepared by the death audit committee shows that people who have succumbed to the disease were admitted directly to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Most of them died within a day or two after suffering a heart attack or kidney failure, especially those who had no co-morbidity issues.

“A task force has been set up who are coordinating with the doctors in AIIMS to study the cause of deaths in such cases,” said a senior state official, privy to matter. Dr Chaudhury confirmed this to HT.

Currently, at least 80 patients in Gurugram are under critical care.